PHILLIES NOTEBOOK: Lee scratched from next start with stiff neck

DETROIT — The news for the Phillies goes from bad to worse to worser to whatever comes after that last made-up word.

In the throes of a five-game losing skid as they arrived at Comerica Park for Friday night’s series-opening game against the Tigers, the Phillies announced just after the start of the game that All-Star pitcher Cliff Lee had been scratched from his scheduled start today because of a “stiff neck.”

One lousy scenario would be that the southpaw has, well, a stiff neck that has forced the team to turn to Raul Valdes to make a spot start against Detroit’s practically unbeatable Max Scherzer.

Another scenario — depending on how much you like conspiracy theories and prospects — would be that the Phils have received a trade offer for Lee that has made them slam on the brakes and think seriously about dealing him and the $62.5-to-$80 million remaining on his contract, which runs through 2015 with a vesting option/buyout for 2016.

There has been buzz throughout the league in the last couple of days that Lee’s name is open for discussion, and there are several teams seeking to bolster their rotations for the postseason.

The Phillies just left one of those cities.

The Cardinals have been flexing their muscles and taking charge in a brutally competitive National League Central. However, if there is a place where St. Louis could use fortification, it’s in the starting rotation. They have a legitimate star in Adam Wainwright, but after him comes three starters in Lance Lynn, Jake Westbrook and rookie Shelby Miller who, while performing well this season, aren’t what one would call October-tested.

The Cards are not only excellent at the big-league level, but are stout with top-100 prospects, many of whom are close to big-league ready. That’s a key for the Phillies in any trade for Lee. They were burned by taking some lower-level prospects from Seattle when Lee was traded to the Mariners following the Roy Halladay deal.

* * *Speaking of deadline trades (because really, what else is there to talk about when it comes to the Phils these days?), Chase Utley and Michael Young are in the final years of their respective contracts, and this makes the trade deadline a particularly uncertain time for them.

There is another Phillie whose contract expires after the 2013 season whose future is uncertain as the trade deadline approaches. That would be manager Charlie Manuel.

With his Phillies at 49-53 and showing no signs of recovery, Manuel knows this could spell the end of his tenure as manager. In the meantime, he seems willing to share some of his dislikes about the way business has been conducted by the organization. Manuel aired out his displeasure with the way his roster has been rounded out in recent seasons, which is to say that his input in the process has eroded — although he stressed he isn’t the only manager with that gripe.

“I feel like that’s a change in baseball the last five or 10 years — you used to have more say as a manager,” Manuel said. “You could pick some of your bullpen, pick some of your bench players. I think the last five or six years, that’s kind of been the front office’s (decision) that they like to pick the team.

“I’ve talked to other managers, and that’s how it’s pretty much been like. Before you definitely were more involved and had a say.”

Rumors have been persisting for more than a year that Ryne Sandberg is being groomed as Manuel’s successor. That doesn’t mean the 69-year-old thinks his career in baseball — or even managing — ends after this season.

“I’m going to be somewhere. How about that?” Manuel said with a chuckle. “We’ll see. It’s OK. I’ve got good options.

“I think about last year, that’s where trouble started, I felt. … For four or five years we basically had the same lineup, and that was easy. That was pretty nice for me as a manager. But at the same time you’d see one or two young players, and we’d have youth to go with veteran players.”

The youth hasn’t been there, at least not the type of youth Manuel had when Cole Hamels, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth and Shane Victorino were the players coming up. Domonic Brown has come into his own, but he is on the disabled list with concussion symptoms as the team is desperate for wins.

As for the rest of the young players, these days it’s John Mayberry Jr., Freddy Galvis and a handful of relievers, none of whom inspires a lick of inspiration.

“I’m a positive person, but I’m also realistic about things, too,” Manuel said. “Every year I’ve known what kind of team I’ve had. At one time I would say we had some of the best teams I’ve ever been around — attitude-wise and playing-wise.”

NOTESHumberto Quintero, who was designated for assignment to the minors earlier this week, didn’t accept that assignment and for good reason. He was signed by the Mariners Friday to serve as their backup catcher … Outfielder Steve Susdorf has more than aspirations to find a niche in the majors as a bench player the way Kevin Frandsen has. He happens to know Frandsen well, as his older brother Billy Susdorf — a former pro player drafted in the sixth round out of UCLA by the Rangers in 2004 — used to be teammates on summer league teams during their college days ... Valdes will make his first start of the season for the Phils, but he made 12 starts for Triple-A Lehigh Valley and went 3-4 with a 3.10 ERA. In his last six starts for the IronPigs the left-hander was 2-2 with a 2.19 ERA, averaging better than six innings per appearance. His last start came July 19, so he should remain stretched out enough to go 90-plus pitches.